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Cosplay: The Final Countdown

Sorry, I couldn’t use that line
and not follow it up with Europe. The time until doors open at PAX East 2014 is
now being measured in hours and, though there was an enormous flurry of
activity that preceded this moment, we’re now in the period of acceptance.
Whatever happens in the next few days will happen and very little will change
that. Getting to this point is frequently the most stressful part of
cosplaying as the last week or two before a convention is usually chock-full of
critical construction, adjustments, and trials. It’s the make-or-break point
for most costumes but, keeping a few things in mind, it doesn’t have to be a cavalcade
of stress. The following are bits of advice I’ve cobbled together from several
years of observational and anecdotal goodness.

Unless you’re one of those people
who thrives on last-minute pressure, it’s a good idea to give yourself at least
three days of buffer. Obviously, there are plenty of occasions where this just
can’t happen, but it’s a good goal to strive for. Not only will doing this give
you some wiggle room in case a portion of your costume ends up taking
considerably longer than you thought, but you can still feasibly have
components and materials delivered to you if you need them. Also, not having to
pull all-nighters will almost assuredly make you a happier, more functional
cosplayer.

Don’t: Test new cosmetics or prosthetics less than 48 hours before
doors open.

If you have a reaction, the odds
of it being resolved in time for the convention are slim. The ideal time to try
out any makeup or prosthetics is two or more weeks before the con. At that
point, your skin can recover from any irritation and, if there are any problems
or something doesn’t work or appear as expected, you have plenty of time to
find a replacement for the offending product.

Do: A few last-minute stress tests, but keep them small.

Just a few checks to ensure that
everything is deploying/lighting up/coming together as it should can help you
keep on-task so you can focus your energy on logistics and final preparations.
Speaking of which…

This seems a bit ridiculous, but
it’s incredibly easy to let this less-than-fun facet of the convention
experience go unconsidered. How are you getting to the convention? Can all the
pieces of your costume can travel with you or do you need to ship them
separately? Will you be dressing before you arrive or at the convention center
itself? Are you bringing an emergency repair kit and, if so, will that be
stored somewhere onsite or toted about? Does the convention's cosplay policies allow for all parts of your costume? There are few more effective ways to
kill a cosplaying experience than the realization that your costume can’t actually make
the trip with you. Taking a few minutes to mentally walk through the whens and
hows of getting dressed and arriving at the convention center can save you
numerous headaches in the not-so-distant future.

Do: Believe your Cosplay Lieutenant when they tell you that everything is
fine.

We’ve extolled the virtues of having a Cosplay Lieutenant a few times now, and this is just one more reason
why having a trusted individual take on this role can be so helpful. There
comes a point during costume construction wherein various dour sentiments may try
to sneak their way into your subconscious. These are the “This will never get
done in time” or the “Ugh, this piece is coming out terribly” type thoughts,
and they tend to crop up en masse in the last few weeks as the convention
deadline looms large. Having an informed party appraise the situation can help
you parse the legit criticisms from personal misgivings. The key to having this
work out well is to trust your Lieutenant and actually believe them when they
give you their opinion. On a similar, related note:

No cosplayer is keen to admit that the project they’ve poured significant resources into isn’t turning out as planned or can’t be completed by the day of the convention, but these things happen. Again, having a trusted second or third (or fourth or fifth) opinion at your disposal can assist with this. It helps to have people on hand who aren’t afraid to ask if you really think you can finish the costume on time. Setting firm, specific checkpoints for yourself when you’re drafting your cosplay lineup can facilitate the decision-making process.

Do: Lay out your costume, badge, and other necessities the night before the convention.

Obviously this isn’t mandatory, but it can be immensely helpful when you’re bustling about just before doors open. This takes a measure of guesswork off the table as well so you’re not trying to parse out whether you’ve forgotten anything in a pre-caffeinated haze. Also, taking this step gives you another chance to go over the costume and the plan for the next day one more time.

Don’t: Get bogged down in the minutia if you have less than a week to
go.

This is something I struggle with
quite a bit and am only now, years after delving into this hobby, getting
comfortable with the notion of “Will anyone really notice this?” When the
inclusion of, and attention to, details plays such an enormous role in determining
the overall quality of a costume, it can be incredibly easy to let those
selfsame details gobble up a disproportionate amount of your time and energy. Once
you get within a week of doors opening, taking a discerning look at what
construction you have left to complete can go a long way to save your sanity. The
distinction between something that would be nice to include (but would likely
not be missed) and something that truly needs to be included is often not
entirely clear. This is where the opinion of your Cosplay Lieutenant comes in
handy if you find yourself at a loss. Otherwise, spend some time away from the
costume, review your reference images, then return and ask yourself what parts
of construction really remain
outstanding.

Above all, keep your ultimate goal for your cosplaying experience in mind. The last few days before a
convention can be very hectic and it’s easy to lose sight of why you set out on
this sartorial odyssey to begin with. A quick little reminder that, “hey, I
wanted to get better at sewing and now I have,” or, “learning to chainmail was
so much fun,” or, “the convention tomorrow is going to be awesome” goes a long
way in powering through those remaining hours.

I’ll see you guys on the other side of PAX East 2014! Please hit up any of the social pages if you're headed there too!